Manmohan to give farewell address, resignation Saturday

On his last day in office Saturday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will give a farewell address to the nation at 10 a.m. on state-run Doordarshan before he goes to meet  President Pranab Mukherjee to hand in his resignation.

Manmohan Singh, the 13th prime minister of India, has helmed the United Progressive Alliance government through its two successive terms from 2004.

The prime minister Friday congratulated Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for leading his party to victory in the Lok Sabha election. Manmohan Singh had in January said that Modi becoming prime minister would be a "disaster" for the country. Modi is set to succeed Manmohan Singh as the country's 14th prime minister.

"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh calls Narendra Modi and congratulated him on his party's  victory in the Lok Sabha elections," according to a message on the twitter handle of the Prime Minister's Office. On Saturday, the Election Commission will formally announce the results to the president.

After his address to the nation on Doordarshan, the prime minister will meet his cabinet for the last time when he will thank his ministerial colleagues. He is then to drive straight down to Rashtrapati Bhavan to hand in his resignation at noon.

"PM will make an address to the nation tomorrow. After EC announces results. Then thank his cabinet. Then go to meet president to tender his resignation around  noon," the Prime Minister's Office said in a communication.